×Heucherella plant named ‘Buttered Rum’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct × Heucherella  plant substantially as shown and described, characterized by spring leaves of orange amber with a strong red pattern along veins, summer leaves amber with red brown leaf centers, fall leaves red with darker leaf centers, distinctively lobed, palmately divided leaves, small white flowers on short gray purple flower stalks, a medium plant size with multiple crowns, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: ×Heucherella hybrid.

Variety designation: ‘Buttered Rum’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of×Heucherella and given the cultivar name of ‘Buttered Rum’. Heucherellais in the family Saxifragaceae. ×Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’ originatedfrom a controlled cross between Heuchera K270-4 (a proprietaryunreleased Heuchera hybrid), as the seed parent, and Tiarella 58-9 (aproprietary unreleased Tiarella hybrid), as the pollen parent.

Compared to the seed parent, Heuchera K270-4 (unpatented), the newcultivar has leaves that are deeply lobed and caramel to red browncolored with a red to dark blotch along the main veins compared toleaves that are shallowly lobed and tan with no blotch.

Compared to the pollen parent, Tiarella 58-9 (unpatented), the newcultivar has amber to red brown foliage rather than green.

Compared to ×Heucherella ‘Brass Lantern’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,396)and ×Heucherella ‘Sweet Tea’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,296), this newcultivar has a lower more compact habit, shorter flower spikes, andkeeps the red tones in the foliage color all the time rather than onlyin the spring and fall.

This new ×Heucherella is distinguished by:

-   -   1. spring leaves of orange amber with a strong red pattern along        veins,    -   2. summer leaves amber with red brown leaf centers,    -   3. fall leaves red with darker leaf centers.    -   4. distinctively lobed, palmately divided leaves,    -   5. small white flowers on short maroon flower stalks    -   6. medium plant size with multiple crowns, and    -   7. excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a six-month-old ×Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’ growing in aone gallon container in a cool greenhouse in early May Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a one-year-old ×Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’ in bloom,planted in the ground in a trial bed in the shade in late summer inCanby, Oreg.

FIG. 3 shows a one-year-old grown in a one gallon container in thegreenhouse in late July.

FIG. 4 shows a 14-month-old plant in the trial bed in full sun in thewinter.

FIG. 5 shows the flowers of ×Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new ×Heucherella cultivarbased on observations of two-year-old specimens growing in one galloncontainers in a cold greenhouse in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on theUSDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. inAugust to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall inCanby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based onThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, fifth edition.

-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Basal rosette, herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.        -   Size.—19 cm tall from top of the foliage to the ground and            30 cm wide.        -   Habit.—Mounding.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and white in color.            Roots develop easily from cuttings.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Lobing/division.—5 lobes palmately parted with the terminal            the longest and most deeply parted, each with distinctly cut            secondary lobes (the depth of the lobes varies with plant            maturity and leaf age; leaves become more deeply lobed with            maturity).        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Margins.—Broadly crenate, older leaves undulate or twist            slightly.        -   Apex.—Mucronulate.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 10.5 cm long and 8.5 cm wide.        -   Surface texture.—Glandular both surfaces.        -   Petiole description.—Grows to 13 cm long and 2 mm wide,            glandular hairs, between Purple N77C and Greyed Purple 183D.        -   Leaf color.—Spring, topside, between Greyed Orange 174A and            165B with pattern Greyed Purple 183A, bottom side closest to            Greyed Red 182B; summer topside newest leaves closest to            Greyed Purple 183A (lightening to Greyed Orange 165C with            the pattern Greyed Red 182A), bottom side closest to Greyed            Purple 183C; fall, topside, Greyed Purple 185A with venation            pattern Greyed Purple N186A, bottom side N79B; winter,            topside Greyed Purple 187B with venation pattern Greyed            Purple N186A, bottom side N79B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Size.—Grows to 2.3 cm wide and 10 cm long.        -   Type.—Raceme.        -   Number of flowers per raceme.—About 60.        -   Number of raceme.—24.        -   Peduncle.—Grows to 20 cm tall, 2 mm wide at base, Greyed            Orange 166A, glandular hairs.        -   Pedicel.—Variable, with glandular hairs, Greyed Yellow 161A.        -   Bloom period.—May with sporadic rebloom in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—2 mm wide and 3 mm long.        -   Description.—Glandular puberulent, ovoid.        -   Color.—White NN155C.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Imperfect.        -   Shape.—Campanulate.        -   Size.—4 mm deep and 5 mm wide.        -   Petal description.—5 in number, lanceolate, 4 mm long and 1            mm wide, some reflexed, tip acuminate, base attenuate,            margin entire, glabrous on both sides, White NN155D on both            sides.        -   Calyx description.—4 mm deep and 2 mm wide, with 5 lobes,            divided ¾ way to the base, campanulate, glandular hairs on            outside, glabrous inside, tip obtuse, margin entire, NN155D            on both sides.        -   Stamen description.—None.        -   Pistil description.—One central two beaked pistil, 4 mm long            and 2 mm wide, White NN155D.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness.—Each raceme blooms for about 2 weeks on the            plant.-   Fruit and seed: None.-   Disease and pest tolerance: The new cultivar is typical to the    genus. No known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have    been found in Canby, Oreg.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct ×Heucherella plant as herein illustratedand described.